Robert E. Hunter Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and Professor of Genetics; Chair, Therapeutic Radiology
Research Interests
- Genetics
- Gene Targeting
- Gene Editing
- DNA Repair
- Recombinational DNA Repair
- Radiation
- Radiation Oncology
Members
Lab Members
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Institutional Review Board Committee Member, Gynecologic Oncology; Head of Gynecologic Oncology Morbidity and Mortality , Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Dr. Gary Altwerger is an assistant professor of Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine. Known for his advanced surgical skills, Dr. Altwerger is an expert in minimally invasive techniques for treating uterine, ovarian, and vulvar cancers (Laparoscopic pancreatic peritonectomy with splenectomy for recurrent ovarian cancer: a novel approach to achieve R0 while preserving the pancreatic body and tail & Conventional laparoscopic resection of platinum-sensitive recurrent oligometastatic ovarian cancer lesion in the interaortocaval region). His knowledge extends beyond the operating room to pioneering research in both clinical and basic sciences. He has identified biomarkers in advanced uterine cancer and developed strategies to disrupt tumor DNA repair pathways, advancing treatments for chemotherapy-resistant gynecologic cancers. Dr. Altwerger's basic science research on treatment resistant uterine cancers has led to the launch of an investigator-initiated clinical trial at Yale University. Additionally, his clinical research in evaluating desensitization protocols has enabled patients with hypersensitivities to receive effective yet previously intolerable chemotherapy treatments, with these findings published in high-impact gynecologic oncology journals. In the surgical arena, Dr. Altwerger has developed and published novel techniques for minimally invasive tumor removal in the upper abdomen. Additionally, as part of a mandate by the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, he participates in the CSATS (Crowd-Sourced Assessment of Technical Skills) platform. This initiative utilizes national expert feedback to rate and enhance a surgeon’s operative skills. Reviews on CSATS often highlight Dr. Altwerger's surgical expertise, with feedback noting his 'clever' and 'expert' approaches to managing 'challenging' cases in gynecologic oncology. Dr. Altwerger’s commitment to professional development and excellence in gynecologic oncology is evident in his multifaceted role at Yale. He educates future medical professionals on gynecologic cancers and related topics, oversees the Inpatient Gynecologic Oncology Advanced Practice Providers, and chairs the Gynecologic Oncology Morbidity and Mortality meetings. Furthermore, he serves on the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Yale New Haven Hospital, ensuring the safety and ethical standards of cancer research protocols. Clinically, he remains at the forefront of administering the latest therapies, including chemotherapies, immunotherapies, intraoperative chemotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates, to provide targeted care for women with gynecologic malignancies.Postdoctoral Associate; Graduate Student, Therapeutic Radiology
PNA mediated gene editingMD-PhD Student
Daniel A. Colón Ríos was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He graduated in 2018 from Universidad de Puerto Rico - Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez (UPR-RUM) with a major in Chemistry. He subsequently moved to New Haven and joined Dr. Faye Rogers lab as a postgraduate associate, where he studied the cellular response to excessive levels of nucleotide-excision repair (NER)-recognized DNA damage. As a postgraduate associate, he also completed the Yale Cancer Center Cancer Biology Training Program (CBTP) and served as an interpreter at the HAVEN Free Clinic. Daniel is now a fourth year MD-PhD Student in the Glazer Lab studying PARP inhibitor resistance mechanisms. He is an active member of the MSTP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and continues to be involved in the Student National Medical Association - Latino Medical Student Association (SNMA-LMSA) joint chapter at Yale School of Medicine. Out of academics, Daniel enjoys spending time with friends, playing volleyball, going to the beach, and traveling.Postdoctoral Associate
Biochemistry and structural biology of DNA binding proteins involved in cancer research.Research Associate 4, MS; Core Facilities Director, Therapeutic Radiology
Small molecule DNA repair inhibitorsPostdoctoral Associate
Zaira Ianniello is originally from Italy. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of Rome - La Sapienza, where she was selected for the Excellence Path before graduating in 2018. She then pursued a Ph.D. at La Sapienza, focusing on identifying novel oncogenes in Acute and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, investigating the molecular pathways involved, and developing strategies to overcome resistance to first-line treatments. Following her Ph.D., she moved to New Haven to join Dr. Peter M. Glazer’s lab as a Postdoctoral Associate. In this role, she explored innovative strategies for the precise delivery of chemotherapy drugs using engineered antibody platforms.Hospital Resident
Hometown: Rockaway, NJ. Internship: General Surgery at Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ. Research Interests: Epigenetics, chromatin modifying enzymes, chromatin structure and repair, radiosensitizers. Outside Interests: Travel, hiking, live music, cooking, coffee, plants/gardening.Associate Research Scientist in Therapeutic Radiology
Tumor hypoxia, DNA repair, and drug resistanceMD/PhD Student, Therapeutic Radiology
A native of Kansas City, Anna graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She joined the MD/PhD program at the Yale School of Medicine in 2017. Anna completed her graduate thesis work in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, where she focused on in utero delivery of polymeric nanoparticles for fetal gene therapy. Anna’s clinical interests include pediatric surgery, adolescent gynecology, and fetal therapy.Postdoctoral Associate; Graduate Student, Therapeutic Radiology
Tumor targeting by antibodies and peptides
Alumni
Edward Gunther
Pre-doctoral, 1991-1993
Professor
Penn State College of Medicine, Harrisburg, PA
Triplex DNA and psoralen mutagenesis
Toni Yeasky
Research AssistantSr. Research Associate, Comprehensive Cancer Ctr. Sylvester Research Laboratories
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Mutagenesis in the tumor microenvironment
Pamela Havre
Post-doctoral, 1992-1995
Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Hematology & Oncology
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Targeted mutagenesis using triplex-forming oligonucleotides
Gan Wang
Post-doctoral, 1993-1996
Associate Professor, Institute of Environmental Health Science
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Mutagenesis and DNA repair induced by triplex-forming oligonucleotides
Elaine Lau
Undergraduate, 1994-1995
Postdoctoral Scholar, UCSF
Triplex DNA
Manidipa Mukherjee Raha
Post-doctoral, 1994-1997
Science teacher, Brookfield High School
Brookfield, CT
Mutagenesis in Xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells
A. Fawad Faruqi
Post-doctoral, 1994-1999
Senior Director Business Development
Discovery Life Sciences
Recombination induced by triplex formation
James Fritzell, Jr.
Research Assistant, 1995-1997
Neonatologist, Director of Transport, Director of Small Baby Program
MEDNAX, Long Beach, CA
Mutagenesis in transgenic mice
Bruce Turner
Post-doctoral, 1995-1998
Managing Director
Boxer Capital, Tavistock Group
Growth factors and radiation resistance
Philip Chan
Pre-doctoral, 1995-2000
CEO and President, CytoSorbents Corporation
Monmouth Junction, NJ
Targeted gene correction via triplex-forming oligonucleotides
Latha Narayanan
Research Technician, 1995-2003
Genetic instability in cancer cells
Laurent Lacroix
Pre-doctoral, 1996-1998
Staff Scientist, Museum National d'Histore Naturelle
Paris, France
Triplex formation by DNA analogs
Shilpi Mehta-Lee
Undergraduate, 1996-1998
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
NYU Langone Health, New York, NY
Genetic instability in cancer cells
Karen Vasquez
Post-doctoral, 1996-2000
Professor, Division Head of Pharmacology & Toxicology
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Gene targeting in mice using triplex-forming oligonucleotides
Shani Peretz
Pre-doctoral, 1996-2001
Department Chair, Science Department at Peddie School
Hightstown, NJ
Ataxia telangiectasia and regulation of IGF-1R expression
James Reddoch
Post-doctoral, 1997-1998
Executive Vice President and Head of Research
Royalty Pharma, New York, NY
Gene targeting with modified triplex-forming oligonucleotides
Jianling Yuan
Pre-doctoral, 1997-2003
Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology
University of Minnesota Hospital, Minneapolis, MN
Hypoxia and genetic instability
Melissa Knauert
Post-doctoral, 1997-2005
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary)
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Targeted gene correction in vivo
Charlotte Kim
Post-doctoral, 1998-1999
Attending physician,
Div. of Radiation Oncology Dominican Santa Cruz Hospital
Santa Cruz, CA
Hypoxia and gene expression
Zhongjun John Luo
Post-doctoral, 1998-1999
Research Fellow, Department of Genetics and Medicine
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Recombination induced by triplex-forming oligonucleotides
Brady Dunklee
Lab Assistant, 1998-1999
Program Manager, Population Health at Integra Community Care Network
ATRAVES Inc., Providence RI
Mutagenesis in cancer cells
Xiaoxin Susan Xu
Post-doctoral, 1998-2000
Retired from Research Assistant Professor
Institute of Environmental Health Sci. Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI
DNA mismatch repair and genetic instability
Margaret Macris-Kiss
Pre-doctoral, 1998-2003
Head of Immunoassay Development at Ancera
Branford, CT
Transcription Gene targeting by triplex forming by oligonucleotides
Ming Zeng
Post-doctoral, 1999-2000
Director, Cancer Center
Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
DNA mismatch repair and radiation response
Hirock Datta
Post-doctoral, 1999-2001
Group Leader at Zenotech Labs
Hyderabad Area, India
Triplex-induced recombination in vitro
Linda Gorman
Post-doctoral, 2000-2001
Project Coordinator at UBC- Envision Group
Southport, CT
Triplex-directed gene correction in the human beta globin gene
Ryan Jensen
Pre-doctoral, 2000-2004
Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Radiology
Yale University, New Haven, CT
DNA damage response and cell communication
Shannon Gibson Pankratz
Pre-doctoral, 2000-2005
Senior Scientist
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals, Vernon Rockville, CT
Ataxia telangiectasia and gene expression
Faye Rogers
Postdoctoral, 2000-2008
Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Radiology
Yale University, New Haven, CT
DNA repair of altered DNA structures
Valia Mihaylova
Post-doctoral, 2001-2004
Associate Research Scientist, Department of Laboratory Medicine
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Tumor hypoxia and DNA repair
Jean Kuan
Pre-doctoral 2001-2006
Chemical Sourcing Manager
Global Technical Operations, Alleran Inc., Irvine, CA
Triplex-directed gene correction in the human beta globin gene
Ranjit Bindra
Pre-doctoral, 2001-2007
Professor, Department of Therapeutic Radiology
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Tumor hypoxia and genetic instability
Janice Lloyd
Post-doctoral, 2002-2005
Scientist at U.S. Genomics
Woburn, MA
DNA repair
Ki-Hyun Kim
Postdoctoral, 2002-2008
Business Executive
Seoul, Korea
Gene targeting with peptide nucleic acids
Catherine Brdlik Hartman
Post-doctoral, 2005-2006
Director - UDENYCA & Therapeutic Oncology Product Development
San Mateo, CA
DNA Damage response and cell signaling
Pallavi Lonkar
Post-doctoral, 2005-2008
Director at Wave Life Sciences
Boston, MA
Gene targeting using chemically modified oligonucleotides
Joanna (Chin) Tansky
Pre-doctoral, 2005-2010
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology
Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
Triplex DNA and DNA repair
Erica Schleifman
Pre-doctoral, 2006-2010
Senior Project Leader
Companion Diagnostics at Genentech
Gene targeting via DNA-binding molecules
Meredith Crosby
Post-doctoral, 2006-2011
Toxicologist
AbbVie, North Chicago, IL
Hypoxia induced microRNAs and DNA repair
Elizabeth Peterson-Roth
Post-doctoral, 2006-2011
Staff Scientist, L2 Diagnostics
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cisplatin and DNA damage response
Hanspeter Niederstrasser
Post-doctoral, 2008-2011
Screening Scientist
UTSouthwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
DNA repair of non-B form DNA
Faisal Reza
Post-doctoral, 2010-2013
Targeted Gene editing and Genome Engineering
Jennifer Kalish
Pre-doctoral, 2001-2006
Assistant Professor, Division of Human Genetics & Molecular Biology
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Triplex DNA and DNA repair
James Hansen
Post-doctoral, 2011-2012
Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Radiology
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Novel antibody for cancer therapy
Nicole Ali McNeer
Pre-doctoral, 2010-2014
Fellow in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY
In vivo gene editing via nanoparticles
Jennifer Czochor
Pre-doctoral, 2010-2016
Senior Medical Director
BGB Group, Houston, TX
MicroRNA regulation and function in hypoxia
Nanda Balasubramanian
Post-doctoral, 2011-2016
Principal Clinical Bioanalytical Scientist
AstraZeneca, Cambridge, MA
Host factors required for triplex-mediated repair
Gregory Stachelek
Pre-doctoral, 2012-2016
Resident Physician
John Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Novel DNA repair inhibitors for cancer therapy
Raman Bahal
Post-doctoral, 2012-2017
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Gene targeting with novel molecules
Susan Scanlon, MD, PhD
Pre-doctoral, 2018-2022
Resident in Therapeutic Radiology
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Hypoxia and DNA Repair
Audrey Turchick, PhD
Pre-doctoral, 2018-2019
Postdoctoral Scientist, TIP Oncology, DNA Damage Response Research Sub-team
EMD Serono, Rockland, MA
DNA Repair
Anisha Gupta, PhD
Post-doctoral, 2013-2017
Assistant Professor
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Gene editing
Sebastian Oeck, PhD
Post-doctoral, 2017-2019
Post-doctoral Associate
University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
Oncometabolities and DNA Repair
Stanley Oyaghire, PhD
Post-doctoral, 2016-2019
Scientist at CRISPR Therapeutics
Cambridge, MA
Gene editing, cancer therapy, HIV therapy
Parker Sulkowski, PhD
Pre-doctoral, 2013-2019
Research Fellow at Kaelin Lab
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Oncometabolities and DNA Repair
Adele Ricciardi, MD, PhD
Pre-doctoral, 2014-2019
Resident in Surgery
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
In utero gene editing
Alanna Kaplan, MD, PhD
Pre-doctoral, 2016-2019
Resident
Stanford Medicine, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, CA
Novel DNA repair inhibitors for cancer therapy
Jonathan Dow
Pre-doctoral, 2019-2022
Consultant
ClearView Healthcare Partners
Newton, MA
Nicholas Economos
Pre-doctoral, 2017-2023
Resident
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston, MA
Dinithi Perera
Post-doctoral, 2020-2023
Senior Scientist – Clinical Chemistry
Invicro
New Haven, CT
Elias Quijano
Pre-doctoral, 2016-2023
Northpond Ventures
Gene editing and gene delivery
Madison Rackear
Pre-doctoral, 2020-2024
Northpond Ventures